Exposure and Experience: Additional Criteria for Selecting Future Operational Theater Commanders
Abstract
Creating a synergy of effort amongst the nearly innumerable agencies involved in a contingency operation is one of the challenges of the operational theater commander, which makes his selection an essential element of mission success within a theater of operations. This paper argues that because of the rare opportunities that exist to command at the operational theater-level of war, exposure to those serving in operational positions should be maximized prior to selection to command of an operational theater. Exposing potential leaders to this level may likely provide the otherwise unattainable experience required for successful completion of operational theater command. Failure to provide enough exposure to our potential future leaders to this level of command and to assess their likeliness for success in this area may result in poor execution of the military element of power and the overall poor integration of all elements of national power at the operational-level. No attempt is made herein to identify or address each of the intrinsic, obscure and immeasurable number of qualities that equate to either a successful or unsuccessful operational theater commander. This paper simply suggests that conducting a critical analysis of the experience of the leader and his exposure to the operational theater-level of war will likely add additional depth to the scrutiny required when selecting these senior military leaders.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Oct 23, 2009
- Accession Number
- ADA513990
Entities
People
- Christopher J. Williams
Organizations
- Naval War College